Device for moving freight-car doors



July 10, 1928. 1,676,502

G. A. PLUNKETT DEVICE FOR MOVING FREIGHT CAR DOORS Filegi Feb. 10, 1927 S a -2 a 1 6. A. pLUN/(KTT' INVENTOR ATTORNEY "ill ' pins engage with the inclined portions and Figure 2).

Patented July 10, 1928.

entree STATES enrrnnn A. rLUNKnr'r, OF'BAY' rorn'r, GALIFGBNIA.

nnvrcn'ron MOVING FREIGHT-CAR, 10038;];

Application filed February 10, 1927. Serial No. 167,340}

My invention relates to improvements in devices for moving freight car doors, and

it consists in the combinations, constructions, and arrangements, hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device for moving freight car doors, which makes use of manually controlled means for positively moving the door into closed or. opened positions.

Further objects and advantages will appear in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particularly pointed out in the appended claims.

My'invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing, forminga part of this application, in which I Figure 1 is a side elevation of the device,

Figure 2 is'an enlarged view ofa portion of the device, and f Figure 3 is a vertical section thruQa portion of the device.

In carrying out my invention, I make use of a door 1 having guide members 2'slidably receivable in a side rail 3. VVhen' the door is in closed position, it is adapted'to abut against a door jam4. The'parts of the device, thus far described, form no part of my invention except in so far as they cooperate with the parts now to be described.

The lower part of the door is supported by grooved rollers 5 and 6 which ride upon a rail 7 The roller 5 difi'ers fromthe roller 6 in that it has projections 8 or pins that are removably receivable in openings 9 in the top of the rail 7 The rollers 5 and 6 are rotatably mounted in front and rear supports 10 and 11 respectively. The support 10 has cutaway portions 12 for exposing the lower portion of the rollers 5 and 6 and for forming retaining fingers 13 and 14:. e

The shape of the rail 7 is clearly shown in Figure 3, and it will be noted that the fingers 13 and 14 receive the outer edge 15 of the rail. The rail has a flange 16 for spacing the rail from the freight car wall 17, and the flange'has downwardly extending lugs 18 for receiving bolts 19. c I

The openings 9 are spaced the required distance apartfor receiving the pins 8 (see The walls ofthe openings, extending in the line of travel, are inclined downwardly as at- 20 (see Figure 2). The

either side of the lever 25.

aid in moving the door'since tliepins ride upwardly on the inclined portions and thus automatically extricate themselveswithout impeding the progress of the door.

I provide ineans for positively rotating the roller 5 and this means comprises a.

lever21 pivotally mounted upon the ;shaft 22, which supports'the roller 5. A double ratchetwheel 23 is rigidly ,mounted upon the shafti'22 and is adapted to be inter mitt-entlyrotatedlby a double pawl 2 pivotally secured at'25 tothe lever 21.

From' the foregoing descri'ptionof the various parts of the device, the operation thereof'may be readily understood. Assume that the door is in the position shown in s same. The double pawl 21 'iss'wung from thegpositwn shown 1n Figure 1 into the position shown in Figure 2, and then the l igure 1 and thatit "is desired to openithe lever 21 is manually rocked back and forth for causing the rol1er 5' to intermittently rotate in one direction for opening the'fdoor. Thedever 2 1 has a slot 26 therein for permatting the double pawl tov be swung ion the length of the rail 7, thus providing positive means for moving the door into A guard; 27

complete opened'or closed position. @Any foreign matter lodging in the openingsis forced out by the pins 8 as the roller 5 rides over the track 7. hen the lever is in the full line position shown in Figure.

1, the double pawl 24 will swing free of the double ratchet23'and will permittlie door door having a plurality of openings therein, the walls of said openings being inclined,

and a door supporting roller movable on said rail and having projections removably receivablein said openings,

2. A device of the type descr bed, comprising a door, a supporting rail for said door, saldrail havlngperforations, grooved rail,pro 'ections carriedby oneof said rollers and bemgrece vable in said openings, a

double ratchet connected to said last named roller, a lever, and 'a double pawl carried by said lever for rotating said ratchet in either direction. I

doorsupporting rollers mounted on'said i 3. In a device of the type described, comprising a door, a supporting rail for said door having a plurality of openings therein, the walls of said openings being inclined downwardly from the top surface of said rail, and a'door supporting roller movable on said .rail and having projections removably receivable in said openings, and manually controlled means for positively rotating said roller'in either direction;

4. In a device of thecharacter described, comprisin a door,'a supporting rail for said door, saic'l'rail'having perforations, grooved doorsupporting rollers mounted on said rail, projections carried by one of said rollers and being receivable in said openings, supports for securing the rollers to the door, a ratchet connected to saidlast named roller, teeth on said ratchet having the opposite sides'thereof tapered towardsfthe center of said ratchet, a'lever, a pawl pivotally secured on one end to said lever, projections disposed on opposite sides of theother end of said pawl, one ofisaid projections to engage one side of said ratchet teeth when the door is being moved in one direction, the other said. door, said rail having perforations, grooved door supporting rollers mounted on said rail, projections carried by one of said rollers and being receivable in said openings,

9 supports for Securing the rollers to the door,

a ratchet connected to said last named roller,

teeth on said ratchet having the opposite sides thereof tapered towards the center of said ratchet, a lever, a pawl pivotally secured on one end to said lever, projections disposed on opposite sides of the other end of said pawl, one of said projections to engage one side of said ratchet teeth when the door is being moved in one direction, the other of said projections to engage the opposite side of said ratchet teeth when the door isbeing moved in the opposite direction, and means for holding said lever so as to support said pawl in a disengaged position.

6, In a device of the character described, comprising a door, a supporting rail for said door, said rail having perforations, grooved door supporting rollers mounted on said rail, projections carried by one of said rollers and being receivable in said openings, sup

ports for securing the'rollers to the door, a

ratchet connected to said last named roller, teeth on said ratchet having the opposite sides thereof tapered towards the center of said ratchet, a lever, a pawl pivotally secured on one end to said lever, projections disposed on opposite sides of the otherend of said pawl, one of said projections to engage one 

